Gas leak prompts evacuation at Mission Hills mobile home park

Around 40 homes at a Mission Hills mobile home park were evacuated Thursday morning in response to an underground gas leak, officials said.

The leak was reported around 1:26 a.m. at the 193-unit Bermuda Manufactured Home Park on the 15400 block of Los Olivos Street.

A crew from Southern California Gas Company responded to the scene. The leak was shut down, but it was not immediately known when the gas would be turned back on.

Residents said they smelled the gas and heard a hissing noise from the ground. About 80 to 90 people were forced to leave their homes. They were brought to the community center at the mobile home park. Some said they started smelling the gas several days ago.

"Couple of days ago, I smelled a very strong gas smell and I told the gas company. They came out and said everything seemed to be alright. They came again today, which made me suspicious, and then I got a call from one of the neighbors saying there was a loud gushing sound. I knew immediately what was going on, so I called 911," said Jan McLeod, manager of the mobile home park.

Crews said the incident is weather-related because the two-inch line that ruptured was wrapped in burlap bags that got wet in the rain. The weight of the bags caused the line to snap.